All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.
02-12-00: Interview
Masterharper's Office (#4042J) Neat, businesslike, but still with its own brand of charm, this is the office of Harper Master...
Masterharper's Office (#4042J)
Neat, businesslike, but still with its own brand of charm, this is the office of Harper Master Allegria. A large desk, piled high with hides and sheets with everything from basic theory exercises to finished cantatas, sits just under the window, which is hung with gauzy curtains of a soft olive green. Several chairs, comfortably upholstered in cream wherhide, are scattered around the desk in a loose semicircle. On the left wall is a large cabinet which contains numerous tomes on theory, composition, performance, administration and history, as well as several neatly scribed scores of standard Teaching Ballads as well as newer works. Next to the cabinet is an instrument rack wich holds her precious gitar and violin as well as several flutes. Below the rack, arranged neatly in a semicircle of sorts, are numerous percussion instruments, from congas to xylophones to chimes and everything in between. The right wall has a door, usually closed, that leads to her private quarters.
You see Quivir and Application here.
Allegria is here.
Obvious exits:
Hall Private Quarters
A knock, and then a head appears around the doorway, tawny curls bobbing about it. "I found it! Hi, I'm Hanneke, and I believe I need to talk to you. Mother told me to offer you greetings, too, but I don't think I know you at all. Does she?" Babbling profusely, the girl doesn't seem to have waited to be properly polite, and fully enters the room.
Allegria's eyes bug a bit at the...well, effusive greeting, but looks up nonetheless. "You need to talk to me? And who's your mother?" This Masterharper is a bit too bowled over to go through the whole proper greeting thing.
Hanneke straightens, grinning like some hyaena towards Allegria. "Mother is Anniye. Harper Journeywoman posted to Lemos." Also famous for being slightly strange, devoted to her archives, and living with an equally strange Mindhealer Journeyman. "Mother says I need to be apprenticed to I can learn how to think."
Allegria ohs, understanding dawning across her features. "Not surprised," she mutters under her breath, before looking across at the girl before her. "And your name is...?"
Hanneke twines fingers into fingers behind her back, holding her head high. "Hanneke." She, thankfully, doesn't have hearing, or the comprehension skills, to have heard the other statement made.
Allegria nods slowly. "Hanneke. From...Lemos, you said?" Here she starts riffling through a pile of hides, finally finding the one she wants.
"Yes," agrees Hanneke, beaming still. It doesn't look as though the smile ever leaves her face.
"Uh-huh." Allegria starts writing. Fear the scratch of the pen. "Have you considered any other crafts other than Harper?" Or did your mother think you were as insane as she is, and ship you off to a house of equal insanity?
Hanneke's blue eyes regard the pen as she speaks, earnest in her words, "Oh, no. Mother has taught me for -turns-, and she and Father agree that I really need to be trained as a Harper so that I might be able to help Mother with her hides." And the whole thinking thing, whatever that means. "Mother feels that this is the best place for me." And Hanneke--feels nothing?
Allegria nods again, writing like lightning. She really does write fast. It's impressive, no? "And why do you want to be a Harper?"
Very impressive. Hanneke can't seem to keep her eyes off it; perhaps it helps her think. "Er, why do I want to be a Harper?" The question is repeated, and then again. "Er, why?" Pause. Her fingers untwine, and start to pull about at her tunic. "Um. Because I'd like to know how to think. And I like to dance." And there are some lovely boys around, or so she's seen.
Allegria has to grin at that. "Dancing is one of the more neglected facets of this Hall." Thus speaks the Dance master. "So, other than thinking, dancing, and hides, what do you think Harpers do, hm?"
Hanneke beams, her face pulling into a brighter smile than ever, if that is possible. "Oh, I'm sure it is. I think that's a horrible thing; dancing is very important." It's social. "Well--they sing. And--they teach. Mother always taught me, so I do know a lot."
Allegria nods thoughtfully. "A good start, there. We also do a lot of other things, which I'm sure you'll learn about soon, if you haven't already. Now--if we accept you, what do you think you'll do as an apprentice? What will your role here be?"
Hanneke slowly nods her own head, hands releasing tunic, and slipping behind her back again. "Oh, I'm sure I will. Learning is a good thing." It sounds as if she's learnt that by rote, expressionless as it is. "Well, I'll learn. How to sing, and how to write, and be a Harper. That's my job."
Allegria nods again. "Uh-huh," she says noncommittally, writing some more. "So. What if some dragon comes to Search you? What would you do?"
Hanneke wiggles her nose, while nodding her head enthusiastically, which in turn has her curls bobbing about again. "A dragon wouldn't come to search me; I'm going to be a Harper, and learn how to think."
Allegria chuckles quietly for the delusions of youth. "Mmm. But what would you do if one -did-? It could happen."
Hanneke's delusions will probably last for the rest of her life. "I don't know. Mother says that only a very small proportion of the population ever get Searched, so it's a waste of time to think about it."
Allegria smirks a bit, and keeps writing. "So tell me, Hanneke, could you stay away from boys and alcohol for the time you're an apprentice?"
Hanneke says, firmly, "Alcohol rots the brain." As for the boys, she pauses a moment, and then says: "Does staying away mean not look at them or all, or just not--involve oneself with a boy in a sexually orientated way?"
Allegria's answer is simple. "The latter one."
Hanneke's face, which had started to fall slightly, pulls back up into a smile. "Oh, of course, then. Mother says I shouldn't have children, because I don't have her skills in dealing with them, so I don't plan on doing that ever, either."
Allegria holds back the chortle that threatens to break forth by an act of sheer willpower. "I see." She ponders for a second, before fishing around in her capacious drawers for something. "How much did you bring with you?"
Hanneke doesn't appear to notice the fishing, or perhaps it doesn't mean anything to her, since her mind appears to be loathe to associate one piece of information with another. Instead, she smiles again, and responds firmly, "Clothing-wise? I have my winter tunic, and my best tunic, and my gather dress, and--"
Allegria's eyes spin a bit at the listing of clothing. Uh-oh. "Uh...you may want help with all that. And you're almost definitely going to want to put some in storage. There isn't enough room in one apprentice press for all that stuff."
Hanneke giggles slightly guiltily: "Mother said that, but I couldn't possibly leave any of it behind. Why, I'd likely not see it again, and that wouldn't be right -- the poor clothes!" Girl nods, slowly, "I -will- sort through it."
Allegria nods, and finally reveals her hand, holding a round blue piece of cloth. "Do. And talk to Siri. She'll put the unnecessaries in storage for you. Here's your badge. Welcome to the Hall."
Hanneke blinks a moment. Badge, which means--oh, she's part of the Hall. Oh. "Oh! Good. Thank you, thank you! I will, I will." She grasps the badge, still beaming. Oh dear.
Allegria smiles a bit uncomfortably. "Good. You can go find a cot in the dorms. Welcome, again."
Hanneke turns upon her heals, nodding quickly. "I will! Thank you!" Still calling her thanks, she darts out of the room, down the corridor.